Courtesy Ada Derana

An overseas travel ban has been imposed on former Director of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Shani Abeysekara.

The order was delivered by the Nugegoda Magistrate today (08) after taking into consideration a request made by the Colombo Crimes Division (CCD).

The National Police Commission yesterday (07) said that Shani Abeysekara was interdicted with immediate effect, pending an inquiry into the recordings of phone conversations between the police officer and former State Minister Ranjan Ramanayake.

The Police Media Unit, issuing a statement, cited the reason for the decision as SSP Abeysekara causing disrepute to the police service through his telephone conversations.

Recordings of telephonic conversations between MP Ramanayake, who was arrested at his residence on Jan. 4, and the former CID chief had been released to the media over the past two days. This conversation is transpired to be a conspiracy to remove the former Army Intelligence Chief Brigadier Suresh Salley, who is alleged to have been a hindrance to investigations.